That hefty sum buys you a cask — and many perks — and VDC guarantees you’ll get 250 bottles of its American Single Malt from the cask.

Multiply the 250 by VDC’s anticipated rate of $69 to $89 for its own single malt when it’s released in 2020, and suddenly what looks like an extravagance becomes a deal. (Those totals are $17,250 to $22,250 for those without a calculator nearby).

“The Cask Society represents a good investment as purchasing at the time of filling the barrel enables much better pricing than purchasing once the product is in the bottle,” said Gareth Moore, CEO of Lovingston-based Virginia Distillery Co.

“The economics work well both for consumers and for VDC because of the timeline, the volume and the company’s desire to bring brand enthusiasts closer together.”

Still don’t want to plunk down 10Gs? Then get a group together to make the purchase.

That’s exactly what the Glenmore Whisky Club did.

Started in 2010 by friends with a mutual taste for scotch — and other spirits — the club has about 50 members, many of whom live in the Glenmore residential community in Keswick.

Twenty-one of those members banded together to buy shares in a cask. Most purchased one share, some more. Each share will net about 10 bottles once the whisky is bottled.

To reach that point, the whisky has to be aged. In the Cask Society program, that means a minimum of four years.

“At that time we will bottle some and take the rest and mature it in a port or sherry cask for another six months or so,” said Glenmore Whisky Club spokesman Skip Platt.

Ah, the cask. Though used sherry and wine casks were options, the Glenmore group chose a used bourbon barrel from a Kentucky distillery for the initial aging process, which began nearly a year ago.

“Shortly after Christmas 2016, it was my honor to represent our group to fill our barrel and ‘drive home the bung,’ ” said club member Greg Whitmer.

“We were able to taste the new-make spirit prior to filling the barrel, and VDC provided a small sample for the rest of our group to taste at our next gathering. We are coming up on our whisky’s one-year anniversary (Dec. 28), and they will give us another small sample for tasting. It will be fun to taste the influence of one year in a used bourbon barrel.”

Glenmore’s whisky was put in the Cask Society’s Barrel No. 1, and “VDC prepared a customized barrel head to commemorate our position in the Cask Society,” Whitmer said.

VDC provided the Glenmore club with a duplicate of the customized barrel head to display at Platt’s home, where the club meets about once a month. Also on display is an engraved whisky thief, an instrument used to pull out small samples of whisky to sample. Early next year, a customized label will be designed with the guidance of VDC.

Cost for purchasing a cask of this totally Virginia-made single malt varies. Entry level is $9,990, but fees go as high as $30,810, including tax, for a single cask of whisky aged eight years in a used sherry barrel.

VDC’s Cask Society is open to groups and individuals, and two brothers of Scottish ancestry own the only other cask sold at this point. The good news is that VDC is exploring the possibility of allowing unrelated parties to share a cask.

Which would allow all scotch lovers to have a unique experience.

“Our goal in creating VDC’s Cask Society was enabling enthusiasts to connect with our product in an intimate way across time — from filling the barrel, tasting it over time, all the way to bottling when the whisky is mature,” Moore said.

Mission accomplished and, yes, it’s the gift for a person who has (almost) everything.

Virginia Distillery Co.

Location: 299 Eades Lane, Lovingston

Tasting hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday

Tasting fee: $10 for a flight of three. Choose from a menu of seasonal mini cocktails or the whisky neat, featuring Port Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky or, when available, limited releases of the Commonwealth Collection. In addition, regular-sized cocktails are available for $10 each.

Groups: Eight or more people should email whiskyexperience@vadistillery.com.

Information: (434) 285-2900 or www.vadistillery.com

VDC's Cask Society

This Virginia Distillery Co. program is a minimum of four years and guarantees 250 (750 ml) bottles of its American Single Malt at the end of the program; however, both age length and cask type can be customized. VDC’s distilling team assists in filling the cask after membership is confirmed.

• It is a single-barrel program, so what is in your cask is what will get bottled for you.

• You have the option to select your cask type: used bourbon, sherry or wine barrel.

• You have the option to age your whisky for longer than four years.

• More information on the cask types and aging lengths can be found in VDC’s Cask Building Guide.

• You will get access to $2,500 worth of perks, such as tour and tasting credits, annual gifts and special access to limited releases and events. Examples are:

• You will receive annual gifts, including a customized copper barrel thief, engraved with your name.

• A plaque with your name on it will be displayed in VDC’s Cask House #1 as well as a matching one for your personal use.

• A bottling party will be held for you and a few friends, complete with a private tour and catered lunch.

• All bottles are custom-labeled.

• You can elect to keep the cask at the end of the program, or VDC will provide the two barrel heads from your cask.

• You will receive $300 annually in tour and tasting credits for you and your friends.

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